Power in Words

Words said out of anger or insecurity. Words that have the clear intent to make us feel low, unworthy or irrelevant in the world.

Stupid. Ugly. Fat. Weird.

Or the words that are said without sincerity. Words that give you false hope, happiness or sense of security. The kind of words that amplify your feelings until actions or lack thereof reveal the ugly truth. The truth to the betrayal that you subjected yourself to for believing them. The misleading words that burn your openness to ever hearing them again.

I love you. I’ll always be there for you. I understand you.

Words can brainwash masses of people to carry out unthinkable acts: Murder, suicide, hatred for fellow humans.

Words can distort a person’s view of themselves for a lifetime. Malicious or misspoken words can haunt the psyche and latch onto a soul, sucking out the vibrancy of what each person on this Earth has. Hurtful words seep poison into the force that carries our ability to love, be fearless and see our worth.

Truth #2: We’ve all participated in the malicious use of words.

I’ve gossiped to feel apart of a group. I’ve misused words and said things I don’t mean to save someone from how I really feel. I’ve certainly succumbed to anger and said things I regret. I’ve snapped out comments because of my ego.

What did I gain from these instances? Nothing. In fact, I lost a bit of myself each time.

I’m learning it’s better to be awkwardly silent than to respond with words you don’t truly mean or participate in a conversation that makes you falter from who you are when it’s completed.

Truth #3: No one is perfect. Communication is hard.

There are a million and one ways that people interpret the words “love” or “fear”. Our perspectives have been uniquely built based on a myriad of things: experience, culture, environment, families, education. It’s inevitable that what we communicate is not received as we intend it to be. Understand your intent before speaking. Understand the power of your words.

Be genuine and use your words to plant kind seeds of growth for people you cross paths with.

Understand that those who have spoken maliciously towards you were fighting their own battles. Those that make you feel low are harboring their own issues, as we all are. Forgive and forget.